Last year, I spoke a message to our Lincoln Christian School students titled “Real World Rules”. In this message I shared that when you are a child and you’re living with your parents, having everything given to you, it’s easy to have the idea that “If I make a mistake, it’s really not that big of a deal. If I need something, someone will get it for me, and I’m the best at everything because people close to me say that I am”.

However, those things may be true when you’re a child, but when you get out in the real world you will learn very quickly - that is not how things work.

If students are ever going to become what God designed them to be, they are going to have to not only learn the real rules of this game called life, but also begin to play by them.

The same is true for us in ministry. Sometimes the reason we don’t succeed in our God-given endeavor is not because of a lack of talent, money, or a calling from God. Sometimes we don’t succeed because we are not playing by the real rules of the game.

Here are some “Real World Rules” of life and ministry.

1) Small is Big.
Someone fairly famous once said, “If you have not been faithful with little, you will not be faithful with much”. Good words to live by.

2) Your talent and 50 cents will get you a cup of coffee.

Are you talented? Great. So are 1,000’s of other people. What will set you apart from the crowd is not your ability, but your purity and passion for what God has called you to do for him.

3) A servant’s heart will take you farther than you ever dreamed.
When we give up our ego, give up our attitude, give up our agenda, and simply serve, we will get back more than we ever thought possible.

4) You “get” nothing. You “earn” everything.

In the real world, you don’t get anything handed to you. Respect, money, volunteers, and appreciation are all commodities that we have to earn. The quicker we stop waiting on people to give us what we need and start rolling up our sleeves and earning it, the better off we will be.

These are some “Real World Rules” that I have noticed over the years. What are some that you have learned? I would love to hear them.

P.S. If you haven’t heard, the Oneighty Conference is back! Get all the info and register your team HERE.